Drapery pleat-forming die

ABSTRACT

A drapery pleat-forming die comprising a pair of complementary, interengageable members adapted to shape drapery material into a pleat configuration, the said pair comprising a bottom member having an upstanding, vertically movable, spring-loaded rib projectable above the top edge of said bottom member and retractable into said bottom member in response to forces generated by the top member, the top and bottom members interlocking with the rib retracted to form the completed pleat.

United States Patent Frank J. Morana 18 Robertson Road, West Orange, NJ. 07052 June 1, 1970 Apr. 27, 1971 Inventor App]. No. Filed Patented DRAPERY PLEAT FORMING DIE 7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figs. us. c1. 223/34, 160/348 Int. Cl. A41h 43/00, D06j 1/00, D063 1/12 new ofSearch 160/348; 112/131,136;223/2835,37;33/l74,180, 192

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,718,923 9/1955 Moser 160/348 3,335,786 8/1967 Weisberg... 160/348 3,519,174 7/1970 Ronay 223/34 Primary Examiner-Jordan Franklin Assistant Examiner-George V. Larkin Attorney-Popper, Bain & Bobis ABSTRACT: A drapery pleat-forming die comprising a pair of complementary, interengageable members adapted to shape drapery material into a pleat configuration, the said pair comprising a bottom member having an upstanding, vertically movable, spring-loaded rib projectable above the top edge of said bottom member and retractable into said bottom member in response to forces generated by the top member, the top and bottom members interlocking with the rib retracted to form the completed pleat.

IPATENTEDAPRZYIQYT I 35761281 SHEET1UF2 "up r' INVEN'I'OR. FRANK J. MORANA PPIWKBQ/Q W k ATTORNEYS PATENTEDAPRZYIHYI 3,576,281

- SHEETZUFZ FIG. 5B

FIG. 5C FIG. 5D

I N VEN 0R.

FRANK J. MORAN/1 ATTORNEYS DRAPERY PLEAT FORMING DIE BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Most women, other than those who are experienced seamstresses, find it extremely difficult to sew pleats into draperies. As a consequence, a number of devices have been proposed to assist the homemaker to generate a pleat formation.

Some of the devices which are available today comprise metal fomiers which are forced over the top edge of the drapery material to form the pleat and remain fixed in that location.

Other devices comprise a fabric backing which when sewn in a particular fashion to the top edge of drapery material generate a simulated pleat.

In both the case of the metal fonner and the material strip,

vthe pleat formed is generally unnatural in its appearance contributing to a generally unprofessional appearance.

It is among the objects and advantages of the present invention to provide a drapery pleat-forming die which may be used by inexperienced seamstresses to accurately form a natural professional pleat in drapery material.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a drapery pleat die which permits the rapid formation of a professionally acceptable pleat configuration and the maintenance of that configuration while the pleat is permanently sewn.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a drapery pleat-forming die which is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and extremely durable against damage or rough treatment.

SUMMARY OF mvarmon I A drapery pleat-fonning die comprising top and bottom interengageable, complementary dies, the top die having a pair of pivotally engaged, generally flat members engageable to each other along opposing edges thereof, a rib on the external face of each flat member of the top die above the engageable edges thereof and generally parallel thereto, the bottom die having a pair of pivotally engaged, generally flat members engageable with each other along opposed edges thereof, a rib on the external face of each generally rectangular member of the bottom die below the engageable edges and generally parallel thereto, a vertically movable former mounted between the members of the bottom die, the former being projectable above the edges of the said members of the bottom die and retractable beneath said edges and a rib on opposite sides of the former beneath the top edge thereof and generally parallel thereto.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF INVENTION The objects and advantages aforesaid as well as other objects and advantages may be achieved by the drapery pleatforrning die claimed herein, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIG. l is a side elevational view of the top die;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of bottom die;

FIG. 3 is an end elevational view of the top and bottom dies in opposition to each other;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational cross-sectional view of the bottom die taken along line 4-4 in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 5a, b, c and d are schematic end elevational views of the die in four stages of use to form the pleat.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the top die 11 comprises a pair of generally rectangular, fiat members 12 and 113 which are pivotally engaged to each other. The generally rectangular members 12 and 13 are each provided with opposed, inwardly projecting ears 14-14 and 1515 having axially aligned holes to receive a shaft 16. A spring 17 is mounted on the shaft 16 and is engaged to the respective members 12 and 13 normally urging edges 18 and 19 into contact with each other.

Each of the rectangular members 12 and 13 is provided with an elongated rib on its external face, respectively 20 and 21 spaced away from and parallel to the edges 13 and 19.

The bottom die 22 comprises a pair of generally rectangular, flat members 23 and 24 which are pivotally mounted to each other by means of opposed inwardly projecting ears 25 and 26 mounting a shaft 27. A spring 23 is mounted on the shaft 27 engaged to the rectangular members 23 and 24 normally urging edges 29 and 30 into engagement with each other.

Each of the rectangular, flat members 23 and 24 is provided with a rib on its external face, respectively 31 and 32 generally parallel to the edges 29 and 30 and spaced away therefrom.

A pleat former 33 is mounted between the flat members 23 and 24 of the bottom die 22. The pleat former is a generally rectangular member having an opening 34 therein. The sides 35, 3b of the opening 34 are provided with offsets 37, 38 adapted to receive and nest opposite ends of the shaft 27. A spring 39 is connected between the bottom edge 40 of the former 33 and the flat member 23 on the side of the shaft opposite the offsets 37 and 33. The spring normally urges the former 33 upwardly to project its top edge 41 beyond the edges 29 and 30. The limit of projection of the former 33 is defined by the engagement of the bottom side of the opening 34 with the ears 25 and 26.

The former 33 is also provided with a pair of opposed ribs 42 and 43 on opposite sides thereof and generally parallel to the top edge 41.

The former 33 is also provided with a side projection 44 for manipulation.

In operation, the pleat former 33 is positioned above the generally flat members 23 and 24 comprising the bottom die 22. In this position, the ribs 42 and 43 lie immediately above the top edges 29 and 30 of the bottom die 22.

Drapery material 45 is positioned over the top edge 41 of the former 33. The top die 11 is then positioned above the drapery material 45 and the edges 18 and 19 thereof spacedapart. The top die 11 is then forced downwardly over the former 33 with the edges 13 and 19 of the generally rectangular members 12 and 13 of the top die forcing the material downwardly on opposite sides of the former 33. The top die 111 is forced downwardly until its edges 18 and I9 engage the ribs 42 and 43 on the former 33. The generally flat members 23 and 24 of the bottom die 22 are then pivoted so that their edges 29 and 30 separate. Continued force of the top die downwardly forces the pleat framer 33 to retract against the spring 39 until the drapery material 45 engages the edges 29 and 30 of the bottom die 22. The edges 29 and 30 of the bottom die 22 force the drapery material to return along the external face of the rectangular members 12 and 13 of the top die ill. The top die 11 and bottom die 22 are interengaged until edges 29 and 30 of the bottom die 22 engage the ribs 20 and 21 on the top die 22. The drapery material 45 now defines a tortuous path in the form of the pleat. The depth of the pleat, of course, is controlled by the width of the rectangular members 12 and 13 and 23 and 24 of the top die 11 and bottom die 22 respectively.

With the framer 33 in its lowermost position, the offsets 37 and 3b engage the shaft 27. The former 33 then remains in its lowermost position. The top die 11 may then be compressed so as to separate its edges 18 and i9 and then be withdrawn from the bottom die 22 leaving the pleat shape or configuration in the drapery material 45. As the top die 111 is withdrawn, the fingers may hold the material on one side of the dies to retain the shape of the pleat. The pleat may then be stitched in place and becomes permanent.

The ear 44 on the former 33 projects beyond the sides of the flat members 23 and 24 and provides means for disengaging the offsets 37 and 38 from the shaft 27. The spring 39 then returns the former 33 to its uppermost position for the next pleat-forming operation.

The foregoing description is merely intended to illustrate an embodiment of the invention. The component parts have been shown and described. They each may have substitutes which may perfonn a substantially similar function; such substitutes may be known as proper substitutes for the said components and may have actually been known or invented before the present invention.

lclaim:

l. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising,

a. top and bottom interengageable, complementary dies, the top die having a pair of pivotally engaged, generally flat members engageable to each other along opposing edges thereof,

b. a rib on the external face of each flat member of the top die above the engageable edges thereof and generally parallel thereto, the bottom die having a pair of pivotally engaged, generally flat members engageable with each other along opposed edges thereof,

c. a rib on the external face of each generally rectangular member of the bottom die below the engageable edges and generally parallel thereto,

d. a vertically movable former mounted between the members of the bottom die, the former being projectable above the edges of the said members of the bottom die and retractable beneath said edges, and

e.a rib on opposite sides of the former beneath the top edge thereof and generally parallel thereto.

2. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 1, and

b. resilient means on the top die normally urging the said edges into engagement, and

c. resilient means on the bottom die normally urging the said edges into engagement.

3. A drapery pleat-fonning die comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim I and b. resilient means normally urging the said vertically movable pleat former upwardly until its ribs lie above the said engageable edges of the bottom die.

4. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising,

. the structure in accordance with claim 3, and

means for retaining the pleat former in its retracted position against the said resilient means.

. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising,

. the structure in accordance with claim 4 in which,

b. the said flat members of the bottom die are pivotally mounted on a shaft, and

c. the said means for retaining the pleat former in its retracted position are a pair of offsets in the former engageable with the shaft.

6. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 5 in which,

b. the said resilient means normally urging the former upwardly is connected between the proximity of the bottom of the former to the said rectangular member on the opposite side of the shaft from the former.

7. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising,

a. the structure in accordance with claim 2, and

b. resilient means normally urging the said vertically movable pleat former upwardly until its ribs lie above the said engageable edges of the bottom die,

0. the said flat member of the bottom die being pivotally mounted on a shaft,

d. a pair of offsets on the pleat former engageable with the said shaft when the former is in its lowermost position retaining the former in said position against the urging of said resilient means, and

e. the said resilient means normally urging the former upwardly being connected between the former in proximity to its bottom and the said rectangular member of the bottom die on the opposite side of the shaft from the fonner. 

1. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising, a. top and bottom interengageable, complementary dies, the top die having a pair of pivotally engaged, generally flat members engageable to each other along opposing edges thereof, b. a rib on the external face of each flat member of the top die above the engageable edges thereof and generally parallel thereto, the bottom die having a pair of pivotally engaged, generally flat members engageable with each other along opposed edges thereof, c. a rib on the external face of each generally rectangular member of the bottom die below the engageable edges and generally parallel thereto, d. a vertically movable former mounted between the members of the bottom die, the former being projectable above the edges of the said members of the bottom die and retractable beneath said edges, and e. a rib on opposite sides of the former beneath the top edge thereof and generally parallel thereto.
 2. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 1, and b. resilient means on the top die normally urging the said edges into engagement, and c. resilient means on the bottom die normally urging the said edges into engagement.
 3. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 1 and b. resilient means normally urging the said vertically movable pleat former upwardly until its ribs lie above the said engageable edges of the bottom die.
 4. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 3, and b. means for retaining the pleat former in its retracted position against the said resilient means.
 5. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 4 in which, b. the said flat members of the bottom die are pivotally mounted on a shaft, and c. the said means for retaining the pleat former in its retracted position are a pair of offsets in the former engageable with the shaft.
 6. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 5 in which, b. the said resilient means normally urging the former upwardly is connected between the proximity of the bottom of the former to the said rectangular member on the opposite side of the shaft from the former.
 7. A drapery pleat-forming die comprising, a. the structure in accordance with claim 2, and b. resilient means normally urging the said vertically movable pleat former upwardly until its ribs lie above the said engageable edges of the bottom die, c. the said flat member of the bottom die being pivotally mounted on a shaft, d. a pair of offsets on the pleat former engageable with the said shaft when the former is in its lowermost position retaining the former in said position against the urging of said resilient means, and e. the said resilient means normally urging the former upwardly being connected between the former in proximity to its bottom and the said rectangular member of the bottOm die on the opposite side of the shaft from the former. 